Barista basics: How to make great coffee at home

We all tend to buy most of our coffee from cafes, but if you follow these tips you can learn how to make coffee at home like a pro.

When most people are given the choice between making a coffee at home and buying one from a café, they won’t even give it a second thought. If you have a barista behind the wheel making your coffee, you can be pretty confident you’re going to get exactly what you’re craving. While there is always the risk of burnt beans or blend that disagrees with our tastebuds, in Australia we’re pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to great coffee.

But buying coffee out isn’t the only way to enjoy a delicious brew. These tips will help you learn to make a cup of coffee just as good as the barista at your favourite café. You just might be able to teach them a thing or two as well.

Find a coffee making technique that works for you

While pod coffee machines have grown in popularity thanks to their simple design and ease of use, they have been coming under fire recently due to the aluminium pods and their negative effect on the environment. If you’re looking for a new brew, you can head into some speciality cafes and try out different coffee techniques to see which one you prefer the flavour of and could replicate at home.

Filtered coffee has been gaining popularity recently – where coffee is slowly brewed and strained through a fine paper coffee filter into your pot before being consumed. The slow filtering technique allows for a greater depth of flavour and this means you may be able to taste the different notes in high quality beans and really appreciate the flavours. Another great option is the French Press, which is simple to use and also a quick way to get great flavour from your beans in a single cup of coffee.

Experiment with different milks

If you’re not into the idea of having your coffee black, then the milk you use can make a world of difference. You might want to add the nutty taste of almond milk or experience the difference coconut milk can make to the flavour profile. Different types of milk can also react differently to heat, offering alternatives to the final texture.

Be wild with your bean blends

When you’re making coffee at home, the number one thing you need to think about is the beans. While technique plays a part, you’re just never going to get that luxurious flavour from low-quality beans. Look for speciality roasters or head to your local market to see what’s on offer. Buying small quantities will allow you to experiment and experience the full range of flavours available in coffee.

Store your beans correctly

While coffee beans can be beautiful to look at, it is important that you never store them out in the open as this can compromise the taste of your coffee. They should always be stored in an opaque, air-tight container and kept at room temperature if you want to preserve the flavour profile of your blend as they can react to sunlight and oxygen.

Keep your coffee machine clean

There’s nothing worse than a coffee that has been tainted by an unclean machine. Whatever method of preparing coffee you choose to use you should always ensure you clean all the parts thoroughly to preserve the flavours, as well as your health. For this reason, our in-built coffee machine has been designed to make the cleaning of the different components so simple you’ll never forget to do it.

Use filtered water

If you feel like you’ve been doing everything right but still can’t get your coffee to taste as good as your local café you may want to look at your taps since coffee is 99% water. Depending on your area, your tap water can contain various chemicals and minerals, plus the risk of contamination from the pipes. For the best results, you should use filtered water in your coffee machine at home to preserve the purest flavours of your coffee.

Change one thing at a time

When you’re experimenting with different techniques and flavours at home there is one rule you must abide to: only change one thing at a time. This helps you have a baseline so you can understand which elements you prefer and will enhance your coffee drinking experience.

Leave it up to technology

If you’re still unsure about your coffee making skills our in-built coffee machine makes getting the perfect cup a breeze. With freshly ground coffee beans and fully customisable options you can find it easy to make the perfect cup of coffee at home.